Bowling-pin-setting mechanism.



A. CAMERON.

BOWLING PIN SETTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12. L915- Patented Jan. 9,1917.

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BOWLING PIN SETTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 19.15.

Patented Jan. 9, 191?.

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BOWLING PEN SETTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION men JULY 12, 1915.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

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in which the pins may be easily placed, and

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ANGUS CAMERON, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BOWLING-PIN-SETTING; MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANGUs CAMERON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing atDetroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bowling-Pin-Setting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accom panying, drawings.

The lnvention relates to bowling pin setting mechanism, and it is the primary object of the invention to obtain a construction in which the pins are very accurately located.

' It is a further object to provide a holder which when lowered to the alley will automatically position the pins and disengage therefrom.

Still another object is to effectually guard the mechanism from injury in case of the accidental rolling of a ball during the setting operation.

With these objects in view the invention comprises the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pin-setting device in raised position; Fig. 2 is a section through the setting device for one of the pins in the position for first receiving the pin; Fig. 3 'is a similar view with the parts in position for setting the pin; Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the pin-setting device; and-Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of the standard and'parts.

I In bowling the success of the play is dependent not only upon the skill of the player, but also upon the accuracy with which the pins are positioned. Thus where pins are set up by hand, there is the opportunity of favoring one or the other of the players by slightly changing the position of the pins. On the other hand' where a mechanism is employed for setting up the pins it is diflicult to obtain a construction which is perfectly accurate and uniform in its operation. With the present invention the desired accuracy is obtained by a mechanism of the following construction:

A is a substantially triangular frame having longitudinally-extending bars B and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application filed July 12, 1915. Serial No. 39,469.

F are dogs pivotally secured to the frame E and spaced thereabout, their inner surfaces being fashioned to conform to theface of the tapering pin. In normal position,

however, the dogs are free to swing outward so as to provlde clearance for the maxlmum diameter of the pin. G is an annular frame beneath the frame E. and registering therewith, being supported by hangers H. These hangers slidably engage bearings I in'the frame E and are limited in their downward movement by heads or stops J at their upper ends. One of the hangers also has mounted thereon above the frame E an inclined socket member K for supporting the pin when. arranged in inclined position. metrically opposite this socket bearing K is an upward projection L on the frame E, which forms a stop for the end of the in- Diaclined pin. The arrangement is such that I where the frame A is suspended the pins M maybe placed in inclined position in the pockets D, resting upon the sockets K andagainst the stops L, as shown in Fig. 2.

When, however, the frame A is lowered so that the frame G bears upon the alley, this will cause the. upward movement of the hangers H and socket member K which latter will tilt the pin until it drops through the annular frames-E and G and rests upon the alley. I

To accurately guide the pin the dog F must be exactly positioned. This is automatically effected by cams N which are mounted upon the lower frame G and are radially adjustable, preferably by being secured by clamping bolts engaging radial slots in the securing flanges P. The cams N have inclined faces which engage the outer faces of the dogs F, and when properly positioned these cams will force the dogs inward until they accurately conform to the shape of. the pin and properly center it upon the alley. Q, are springs upon the hangers H which operate in addition to the weight of the frames G to normally depress the latterl The frame A is guided for vertical movement, preferably by roller bearings R which to clear the tops of the pins.

are mounted upon standards S by clamps T. The rolls B have V-shaped grooves therein which engage vertical guides U secured to the frame A.

V is a cross bar connected to the standards S and forming a fulcrum for a U-shaped lever W connected by links W with the cross bar U on the guides U. The opposite end of the lever has connected thereto an operating cord X which passes over suitable pulleys X and is provided with a handle X located Within grasp of the operator. The mechanism is properly counterbalanced, so that normally the frame A, together with the pins carried thereby, will be held in suspension a suflicient distance above the alley When, however, the handle X is pulled and the lever W- tilted the frame A will be lowered upon the guides until the lower frames G rest upon the alley.

With the construction as described in operation, the pins are placed by the operator in the pockets D, where they rest upon the socket members K and against the stops L. The position in which each pin rests is such as to be substantially in balance. If undisturbed it will not fall through the. annular frames E and G. When, however, the frames G contact with the alley and in the continued downward movement of the frame A, the stops L are carried down while the sockets K remain stationary. This will disturb the balance of the pins so that they will slide off from the sockets K and downward through the annular frames E and G. At the same time the dogs F contacting with the cams N will be moved inward into a position where they fit about the tapered ends of the pins accurately positioning them upon the alley. When the frame A is again lifted by releasing the tension upon the handle X and permitting the lever W to descend, this 'will first raise the annular frames E, while the frames G still remain upon the alley. In so doing the dogs F are drawn upward out of engagement with the cams N and are thereby permitted to swing outward soas to free the pin.. The continued upward movement ofthe frame A will lift it to a position where the tops of the pins are clear, which completes the operation.

During the operation of setting the pins, should a ball be rolled upon the alley, there will be danger of breaking some part of the setting mechanism. This'I have avoided by providing a triangular skirt Y which surrounds the portion of the setting mechanism depending from" the frame A. The skirt Y is also preferably provided with a telescopic extension Y which projects down- Ward to the plane of the bottom of the frames G when the frame A is suspended,

while the telescop1c engagement permits of collapsing movement when the frame is resting upon the alley. Thus at all times the mechanism is guarded and without interfering with the mechanicalfunction of the setting device.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a pin setter, the combination with a vertically movable frame provided with pin pockets and inclined seats for the pins, of means operating'upon the lowering of the frame for tripping said pins off said inclined r seats, guides for accurately positioning the pins upon the alley, and means operating upon the raising of said frame for releasing 3. In a pin setter, a vertically-movable frame, means for supporting a pin upon said frame, means for displacing the pin from said support to an upright position upon a floor when the frame is adjacent the floor, a plurality of pivotal dogs carried by the frame and spaced about the pin in its displaced position, and cams operated by the final downward'movement of the 'framerto displace said dogs radially inward to accurately position the pin, and operated by the initial upward movement of the frame to release the dogs and permit withdrawal there-' of from the pin. J

4. In a pin setter, the combination with a vertically-movable main frame, of a plurality of apertured auxiliary frames depending from the main frame, and adjustable to or from the same, a spring tending to maintain a maximum spacing between each auxiliary frame and the main frame, a plurality of pivotal dogs mounted upon the main frame above each auxiliary frame and angularly displaceable to engage a pin mounted in the aperture of said auxiliary frame, and means carried by each auxiliary frame for engaging the dogs above the same when the same is upwardly displaced to shift said dogs radially inward.

5. In a pin setter, the combination with a vertically movable frame apertured for the passage of a pin therethrough, of a seat for a pin in inclined position with its lower end in registration with said aperture, a guide conforming to the tapering form of said pin when the latter is resting on the alley to accurately position the same, means operating upon the lowering of said frame for setting said guide in registration with said aperture in the' frame and for also tripping- -panding said. guide to'permit withdrawal from the pin.

6. In a pin setter, the combination with a vertically movable apertured frame, of a seat for a pin in the inclined position with its lower end in registration with said aperture, an expansible guide mounted on said frame,means operating upon the lowering of said frame for tripping said pin from its seat and contracting said guide to conform to the tapering portion of said pin to accurately position the same,and means operating upon the raising of said frame, permitting expansion of said. guide for withdrawal from said pin.

7. In a pin setter, the combination with a vertically movable apertured frame, of a seat for a pin in inclined position movable in relation to said frame, a stopforthe lower end of said pin when in incllned position fixed to said frame, an expansible guide depending from said frame, means operating upon the lowering of said frame for moving said seat to trip the pin therefrom and for also contracting said guide about the taper.-.

ing portion of said pin to accurately position the same, and means operating upon the raising of the frame permitting the expansion of said guide to release said pin.

8. In a pin setter, the combination. with a vertically movable apertured frame, of a plurality of pivotal dogs depending from said frame and spaced about said aperture,

said dogs being adapted to conform to the tapering portion of said pin, means for supporting said pin in inclined position in registration with said aperture, a member depending fromsaid frame vertically adjust-,

able in relation theretoadapted to rest upon" said alley while the frame is still lowering, cams mounted on said depending member for engaging said dogs to move the same radially inward during the relative movement of said frame to accurately position the pin and permitting the movement of said dogs when said frame is raised, and means also mounted on said depending member for tripping said pin.

9. In a pin setter, the combination with a vertically movable apertured frame, of a frame having a registering aperture depending from said first-mentioned frame and vertically movable in relation thereto, the

lower frame being adapted to rest upon the therefrom, being spaced about said aperturealley during the continued lowering of the upper frame, a plurality of dogs plvotally connected to the upper frame and depending and conforming to the tapering shape of a P gaging said dogs to move the same rad1ally inward against said pin during the relatlve and cams on the lower frame for en a vertically movable apertured frame, of a 7 lower frame having a registering aperture, hangers for said lower frame from said upper frame,'perm1tt1ng the former to rest upon the alley .during the continued downward movement of the latter, guide dogs movably mounted on said upper frame, cams upon said lower frame for engaglngsaid dogs to move the .same ra'dlally lnward against a pinto accurately position the same on the alley, said cams releasing said 30 dogs uponthe upward movement of said frames, and a trip for the pin actuated by the relative movement of said upper and lower frames.

11. Ina pin setter, the combination with upper and lower frames having registering apertures and vertically movable in relation to each other, of radially movable guide dogs mounted on the upper frame, cams for actuating said dogs mounted on the lower 9 frame, and means for adjusting said cams to accurately position said dogs and thereby to accurately position the pin.

12. In a pin-setter, the combination with a vertically'movable frame, of a pin-setting mechanism carried by said frame, having a portion depending below the frame when, the latter is spaced from the alley, and means carried by the'frame for shielding the depending portion of said mechanism movable relative to the frame to permit the latter to rest upon the alley.

13. In a pin setter, the combination with i a vertically movable frame, of pin-setting mechanism depending from said frame in- 5 cluding a member adapted. to rest on the alley during the continued downward movement of the frame, and a telescopic skirt depending from said frame for shielding all portions of said depending pin-setting mechanism and permitting the continued lowering of the frame when said member is resting upon the alley.

14. In a pin setter, the combination witha frame formed with an aperture, of a vertically adjustable support for a pin at one side ofsaid aperture, a stop for the base of the pin at placing the same upwardly and unseating the pin as the frame approaches a floor.

15. In a pin setter, the combination with an aperturedframe, of a vertically adjustable support for a pin at one side of the '125 aperture of said frame, a memberdepending from said support, a stop for the base of the pin at the other side of Said aperture,

and a spring acting to mamtain said sup- I port in its lowermost position, the support the other side of the aperture, and a member having direct connection with said support and depending therefrom,'dis- 2 and depending member being raised to unseat the pin through contact of said depending member with the floor as the frame is lowered.

16. In a pin setter, the combination with a frame adjustable to and from a floor, of a plurality of pin supporting devices carried by said frame, means individually associated with each pin supporting device for automatically tripping the pin therefrom by engagement with the floor, and a mechanism associated with each pin supporting device for spotting the pin, including an actuating member operable by engagement with the floor.

17. In a pin setter, the combination with a frame, adjustable to and from a floor, of a plurality of pin supporting devices carried by said frame, means individually associated with each pin supporting device for automatically tripping the pin therefrom, a plurality of pivotal members associated with each pin supporting device, and a member associated with each pin supporting device engageable with the floor for actuating a movement of said pivotal members to spot the pin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ANGUS CAMERON. 

